Some of you may experience issues logging in and will get an 'incorrect password' error. Don't worry, you haven't typed it in wrong and your password hasn't been changed. You will need to reset it though in order to log in. Click the reset password link and you will receive an email with your new temporary password. Once logged in, you need to choose a new password (or restore to your old one) otherwise you will be locked out again.

If you have an out of date email address linked to your account, then you won't receive the new password. If that's the case then you'll need to email me (dave @liverpoolway.co.uk) or send me a tweet @theliverpoolway and I'll update your password manually.

Klopp: We are not divers

The topic of diving is one of the age old debates that surrounds Football. The press at large love the headlines it provides, and some losing managers often use it as a deflection tactic to cover up their side's overall poor performance.

The fans also dislike a opposition player falling all over the place, and aren't too thrilled when one of their own partake in the practice.

While everyone will have their own opinion, being called a diver or by extension a cheat, is never a accusation that you want to have over your head.

Every great player has a moment where they are publicly questioned about this part of the game, and it appears it is now Mo Salah's time under the spotlight.

The conversation started on Boxing Day when after over a year of the referee failing to point to the spot in a league game at Anfield despite countless appeals over that time, Graham Scott adjudged Newcastle defender Paul Dummett had held back Salah in the box.

Some pundits thought 'The Egyptian King' had made the most of the contact, but former referee Dermot Gallagher believed the right call was made.

I thought it was a penalty - he [Dummett] caught him by the arm and there was enough there. At the speed people move, you do not need much… (to go over).

"His reaction is that he almost gives upon the decision, like 'why have I done that?'"

Then in the game against Arsenal on Saturday, the debate sprung to life once again when Michael Oliver gave his first of two penalties to the Reds when he adjudged that Salah was fouled by Greek defender Sokratis before the half time interval.

It led to a on-field dispute between the parties concerned and led to on field leader Virgil Van Dijk standing up for his teammate as both teams went into the tunnel.

While it looked like a flashpoint, Van Dijk said the issue looked worse than it was.

"Obviously everyone came around us and it looked like we were fighting or something, but we weren’t.

"I just wanted to talk to him. But that happens in football and we move on.

"I’m protecting my team-mates and that’s normal, that’s how everyone should react and that’s what we all need to do, to back each other. That’s what I definitely do."

When questioned on the topic Jurgen Klopp was adamant that his team are in the clear in this regard.

"I haven’t seen it back [with Sokratis] and I have no clue about what happened around it, but the ref really was close to it.

"We don’t have divers and that was not a dive. The other one is not a dive. The ref decides it. In the three and a half years, we have had more penalties not given when they were penalties and you think, ‘Hmph, hmph, hmph!"

“Dermot Gallagher said [after Newcastle], ‘Penalty.’ His [Dummett's] arm was there. Do we need blood for a proper penalty? I think no.

"In that moment, if you don’t touch Mo and he makes the next step and shoots – and we know he’s pretty good at that… these are the situations."

This discussion will no doubt raise its head again the next time Salah is fouled in the box.

But just like all the outside noise, the best thing to do is focus on the things we can control as a side.

User Feedback

Recommended Comments

I see that busy cunt Sean Dyche has thrown his oar into this one. Apparently he can't believe the FA said there's no case to answer. He'd be better off focusing on avoiding relegation and the loss of his job rather than whining about us, the massive fucking prick.

1

3

Share this comment

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Fuck Dyche, the talentless little rat. Just the latest exponent of the trusty British manager merry-go-round, who can see the lower half PL club gravy train disappearing as more clubs appoint managers from abroad with more modern tactical thinking.

2

Share this comment

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Fuck Dyche, the talentless little rat. Just the latest exponent of the trusty British manager merry-go-round, who can see the lower half PL club gravy train disappearing as more clubs appoint managers from abroad with more modern tactical thinking.

One of those penalties was against his direct relegation rivals, the soft cunt should be supporting us.

Share this comment

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Salah has definitely been going down more easily in the box this season.

If he didn't we wouldn't get any fouls,even if they are genuine fouls. This is again the fault of match officials and not really the players. They can easily work referees out and tweak their 'performances' to suit. As for Salah's two being spoken about,while they were 'soft' they would be given anywhere else on the pitch so are penalties.

Share this comment

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Albeit very soft there is no doubt Mo's v Newcastle was a penalty. Did he have to go down theatrically? No. But he’s probably fed up - as we all are - of being fouled constantly, staying on his feet and getting nothing.

The fact we have one of the most skilful, electric front 3’s around who take more touches in the area than most teams and had not had a home penalty for over a year suggests there’s a bigger problem to focus on.

If refs started giving penalties when players are fouled but don’t go down, players wouldn’t feel the need to go down easier to ‘win’ penalties.

Share this comment

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Fuck Dyche, the talentless little rat. Just the latest exponent of the trusty British manager merry-go-round, who can see the lower half PL club gravy train disappearing as more clubs appoint managers from abroad with more modern tactical thinking.

He's turned out to be a right bellend. Little Shaun jumping about moaning how the bigger boys have been horrid to him. Poundland Allardyce

Share this comment

Link to comment

Share on other sites

I think most most players go down when they are impeded. Otherwise the refs won’t give penalties for obvious infractions.

We”re looking through too small a lens here. Teams rock up at Anfield week-in and week-out and try to cheat their way to a point. Trying to wind down the clock without actually having the ball in play. Writhing in agony as though fatally injured until the required minutes have elapsed, when they are suddenly able to get up and compete with Usain Bolt over sixty yards. Taking a minute for each throw in. Subs walking from the pitch shaking hands with people as they go - like they have just turned up to a wedding. Keepers taking GKs from the furthest point; then cleaning their boots in the post; then actually deciding to swap sides.

Share this comment

Link to comment

Share on other sites

It's typical 'English manager in a crisis' behaviour. They never take responsibility for their shit signings,tactical decisions or general lack of coaching ability so just look for something to take away the blame. It's another reason why top clubs hire foreign coaches as they are generally willing to take responsibility and look for solutions instead of just moaning about it.

1

Share this comment

Link to comment

Share on other sites

They'd do well to look back at the Bournemouth game where he had Cook's studs down the back of his leg and stayed up to score.

Dummett deliberately tried to stop him shooting by grabbing him, it was a foul. It was soft, but there's only one reason he's grabbing him there. Sokratis clearly fouled him and Kolasinac pushed Lovren, out of all of them I had the biggest issue with that one because there has to be some contact allowed at set pieces and I thought Lovren was looking for it, but he still shoved him, the idiot.

Dyche is just shitting it because a league where these things get called leaves him pretty fucked.

Share this comment

Link to comment

Share on other sites

One of the gripes the Roma fans had with Salah was - he was too honest. He wouldn't cheat to gain an advantage, and they called him naive in the big games because players would professionally foul him with complete impunity and he wouldn't cheat or seek any kind of advantage himself. They said he was "Too nice". I think since he had his arm almost torn off by that piece of shit, he's changed that, and rightfully so.

Why should he stay on his feet if someone's fouling him? Why is it okay for a defender to pull him back, but not okay for him to fall? The defender knows what he's doing. He knows that by pulling him back, it knocks him off balance as he sets up to shoot.

There was an incident with Kyle Walker and Sterling a few years back, and it was the most blatant penalty you'll ever see. Walker pushes Sterling just before he shoots and Sterling misses, but because Sterling stayed on his feet nothing was given. The idiocy of English refs necessitates you have to go down to draw attention to a blatant foul. If they were capable of doing their jobs properly, nobody would need to dive.

1

4

Share this comment

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Fuck me we get a couple of pens (ironically in games when we actually didn't even need them ) and all hell breaks loose .I wouldn't mind the one on Salah is as blatant as you'll see and shouldn't even be up for debate Yet cunts like Ali, Kane, and Ashley Young have been doing it for years and it's brushed aside .

I just know we are going to get a shitty decision against us pretty soon

Share this comment

Link to comment

Share on other sites

The same cunts signing petitions asking for bans were also the ones laughing their arses off when one of the dirtiest, most cynical players in the game, playing for one of the cuntiest clubs in history, deliberately injured two Liverpool players in a major final.

Share this comment

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Salah has gotten virtually nothing from the refs since he's been here. Defenders grab him all game as they can't stop him and he's rightfully going down to alert the refs of the infraction. Top players and players who can beat a man do it all the time. It's bullshit that he's being singled out.

Share this comment

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Let's just go back to OT in the spring and remember Ashley Young taking a piggy back ride on Mo in the box. Even Gary Neville said Young was clearly fouling him - that tells you everything. (I won't mention Fellaini taking out Sadio just inside the box in the same game - or the blatant Valencia handball).

All Mo is doing now is following the unwritten rule espoused by Shearer every week - 'you feel contact, you've every right to go down'. Trouble is, these unwritten rules seem to apply to everyone but us!

It was telling that Dummett didn't complain about the penalty given against him. Because it was clearly a foul. In the box. Ergo, a penalty.